President Packer: Witness to 50 Years of Church Growth

“The Church is infinitely stronger,” President Boyd K. Packer of the Twelve Apostles said as he reflected back on the last 50 years of his Church service. “We have more good people in the Church now than ever.”

In 1961, President Packer was sustained an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve at the age of 37. He has witnessed much of the Church’s growth.

Over the last 50 years, Church membership has grown from less than 2 million in 1961 to over 14 million today. The number of temples has grown from 12 to 135, all worthy male members are eligible to receive the priesthood, an LDS version of the King James Bible has been created, and the words “Another Testament of Jesus Christ” are now added to the title of the Book of Mormon.